Cotey

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Cotey

Pronounced KOH-tee /ˈkoʊti/Medium

Meaning: Cotey is a phonetic respelling of Coty and Cody. Cody comes from the Irish surname O Cuidighthigh, from a root meaning 'helpful' or 'helper,' so the name carries a sense of one who lends a hand. The -ey ending simply softens the look of the more familiar Cody.Low

In 30 seconds: Cotey is a respelling of Cody, the Irish surname name meaning roughly 'helpful.' It stayed rare, peaking around the early nineteen-nineties (said KOH-tee).

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Origin LowIrish, English

MeaningCotey is a phonetic respelling of Coty and Cody. Cody comes from the Irish surname O Cuidighthigh, from a root meaning 'helpful' or 'helper,' so the name carries a sense of one who lends a hand. The -ey ending simply softens the look of the more familiar Cody.

U.S. rank (2001)#9481 ↗ Rising

2001 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1993

Total births (all-time)≈ 141

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cotey is one of several respellings, alongside Coty and Kody, of the well-loved boy's name Cody. Cody itself began as an Irish surname, O Cuidighthigh, built on a word for 'helpful' or 'helper.' Carried west by Irish families, it turned into a first name partly on the fame of frontier showman Buffalo Bill Cody.

Cotey was never common in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year even at its small peak around the early nineteen-nineties, and it faded out by the early two-thousands. A boy named Cotey then is in his early thirties today.

Did you know? Cotey rides on the huge popularity of Cody in the nineteen-eighties and nineties, but the -ey ending keeps it looking like a nickname that grew up into a full name.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Cotey — Respelling of Cody/Coty; Cody from Irish surname O Cuidighthigh, 'helpful'

Variations

CodyCotyKody

Nicknames

CoteCodeCoco

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cotey…

Cody— the standard spelling this name reworks

Coty— a like respelling of the same name

Colby— another two-syllable Irish surname name

Brody— shares the easygoing -y sound and surname roots

Explore names like Cotey

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cotey mean?

It is a respelling of Cody, from an Irish surname built on a word meaning 'helpful' or 'helper.'

How do you pronounce Cotey?

It is said KOH-tee, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Cotey a boy or girl name?

Cotey is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Cotey?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty boys a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-nineties.